To view the big picture of global trade routes was like trying to solve a large puzzle. When products are sent from one country to another, they travel the long paths over the seas, through the air and over borders. How do these routes work? Which ones do people use most? And how can you, as a business person concerned with moving your products in and out, be smarter about your own moving of goods? Today, with the help of simple data instruments, these issues can be resolved by almost anyone who takes an interest. The information presented here is aimed particularly at new entrants to trade but also opens its doors to any reader who has been puzzled by how to follow a route or what these people are talking about. We will use straightforward language that hews closely to everyday expressions, cite typical examples from common life and speak in a personal style.